age-associated changes in sleep

Introduction

Sleep regulation undergoes change with aging.

Physiology

• decreased total sleep time
• no change or increase in sleep latency (time to fall asleep)
• increased awakenings
• decreased sleep efficiency (time asleep/time in bed)
• increase in daytime napping
• reduced REM sleep latency
• decreased REM sleep
• reduced slow-wave sleep (stages 3 & 4 or deep sleep)
  • reduced slow-wave sleep may reduce glymphatic clearance along brain perivascular spaces
• breakdown of the segregation of the sleep-wake cycle

Clinical manifestations

• earlier bedtime & earlier awakenings common

Management

• cognitive behavioral therapy is first line treatment of insomnia in the elderly

Notes

• comorbid psychiatric disease &/or medical disease contribute to the prevalence of insomnia in the elderly more than aging does

More general terms

• age-related physiological changes

Additional terms

• sleep
• sleep disorder